The Governor’s “Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act” (HB 161) revives an attempt (unsuccessful last year) to shift nearly all costs of the State Department of Assessment and taxation onto county governments.
As with past versions of this proposed shift, the bill would leave counties simply footing the bill for whatever costs are incurred by the state-managed Department. Also, this year’s bill shifts the costs of the “Office of the Director” as well as the actual assessment functions. The text of the proposed change is on page 17 of the BRFA bill.
MACo has aggressively resisted this cost shift, and successfully got it removed from the state’s fiscal plan during the 2017 session. A similar effort appears to be required this year.
For more history, see previous Conduit Street coverage (in thrilling chronological order):
[FY18] Budget, First Look: Counties To Fund Most Of SDAT; Most Formulas Capped
